Wall-case construction



pril'l5, 1930. M. J. sTRAAYER WALL CASE CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l 4 FledfOGr.. 4, 1926 l. .llllnlflllllln Illl/l'l. l| I Illllllllllll M. J. STRAAYER WALL CASE CONSTRUCTION April 15, 1930.

Filed Oct. 4, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ,resulting in patented pr. 15, y193() TENT OFFICE MARTIN J'. STRAAYER, OF `GR-A1\TD RAPDS, fCGAN, ASSIGNOR 'IO GRAND RAPIDS SHOW CASE COMPANY, OF (ai-RAND RAPDS, MGHGAN, A CORPORATEON OF MLCHI# GAN WALL-CASE CONSTRUCTION Application filed October 4, 1926. Serial No. 139,319.F

This invention relates to store furniture. It is concerned with an article of store furniture which may be utilized for supporting shelves on which goods may be placed for sale and display; or the same may be used to assemble, with the appearance and effect of a solid built structure, sectional units wherein goods may be placed for merchandizing or display.

lt frequently happens that constructions of this character must, be placed underneath balconies against the walls of a store, wherein the vertical space is limited. It is one of the primary objects and purposes of the present invention to provide a construction which may be assembled underneath a balcony and make use of the entire vertical space available which heretofore has been practically impossible. Substantially all of the balconies are provided with a socalled overhang, that is, a moulding which extends downwardly at the under side and adjacent the front side of the balcony so that it is impossible to assemble the store furniture in front of the balcony and then bodily move the same to the rear, the overhanging moulding interfering with such procedure. With my invention it is possible to fully assemble the store furniture against the store wall and underneath the balcony and at the same time make use of the entire space under the balcony, leaving no vacant space between the top of the store furniture construction and the under side of the balcony, This results no-t only in a saving of space but presents a much better appearance and obviates the collection of dust and dirt at the upper side or top of the store furniture construction which must occur where space is left, usually of narrow width and hard to reach for dusting or cleaning.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a construction of this kind which is relatively simple and economical to produce economies in manufacture. Many other objects and purposes than those stated will appear as understanding of the invention is had from the following descrip `tion taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a'vertical section through the store furniture of my invention, the same being shown assembled underneath a balcony and against the side wall of a store, the balcony and wall appearing in dotted outline.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of the upper portion of said store furniture illustrating the manner in which the parts of the structure are assembled in the limited space available.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing essential parts of the construction embodying my invention in disassembled relation.

Fig. i is a fragmentary enlarged vertical section at the upper front portion of the store furniture, the same being shown assembled.

Fig. 5 is afragmentary plan view illustrating the method of connecting the horizontal units of the furniture at their junctures, and

F ig. C is a fragmentary plan and horizontal section through the furniture, the section being through a vertical frame located between the adjacent ends of horizontal units of the structure.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different figures of the drawings.

ln the construction which embodies the invention, vertical frames are provided, each in cluding a front post l and a rear post 2 connected at their upper and lower ends, respectively, by horizontal rails 3 and 4. The posts l and 2 have a plurality of spaced apart vertically aligned, holes 5 therethrough with which adjustable shelf supporting bars 6 may be engaged, it being evident that the supports may be adjusted to different positions. The supports 6 and the method of adjustment are not new with this application and detailed description of the same need not be entered into.

'lhe front post l at its front vertical edge is formed with a` forwardly projecting tongue 7 of less thickness than the post. This tongue exten ds nearly the full length of the post 1 but at the upper and lower ends of the post recesses or notches are cut, as best shown in Fig. 3, the notch extending` a short distance back of the rear portion of the tongue. Two plates 8 of metal of the form shown in Fig. 3 are attached by screws or equivalent fastenings, one at each side of and at the upper and lower ends of the post 1 having lips which extend toward each other in front of the notched portion of the post, said lips, however, being separated by a vertical slot or groove 9.

I he vertical frames thus described are adapted to be located in spaced apart relation substantially equal to the length of the shelves or units which are used in store furniture and are held in such relation at their front by an upper corner and a lower base rail, both being attached in substantially the same man- DGI'. equipped at its front side and near its lower edge with a suitable ornamental moulding 11 if desired (though this moulding is not essential) and at its upper portion with a heavier moulding 12, the upper portion of which eX- tends a short distance above the upper edge of theV member 10. Also the ends of the mouldings 11 and 12 terminate a short distance from each end of the member 10, as shown in Fig. 3. At the rear side of each end of the member 10 a block 13 of wood is permanently secured, the upper end thereof lying flush with the upper edge of the member 10. This block extends a short distance beyond the adjacent end of the member 10 to which it is attached. In its rear vertical side a vertical. groove 14 is cut leaving a tongue 15 between the groove and the adjacent vertical outer end of the block. When the cornice is applied to two of the spaced apart vertical frames described, the tongue 15 is received in the groove 9 while the projecting portion of the plate 8 enters the groove 14. With two of such cornices in alignment as shown in Fig. 5 the groove 9 is filled with the two tongues 15 on the abutting blocks 13. A horizontal opening is bored through each block 13 which.

in the assembly of the structure, align with each other that a bolt 19 threaded at both ends may be passed through the openings, receiving nuts which bind the blocks together. The cornice is completed at its under side by a rail 17 lying the full length of the member 10 underneath which is a horizontal iinishing member 18, as shown in Fig. 4.

Vith the cornices applied in this manner a gap is left between the ends of the mouldings 11 and 12 and a narrower one between the ad jacent ends of the members 10. Also the tongue 7 of the front post 1 is uncovered. A top 20 having a thickness equal to the distance that the moulding 12 projects above the upper edge Vof the member 10 is placed over the franles before the cornices are connected and shelves 21 may be located on the bars 6. The assembly is then completed by attaching a front iinishing post or pilaster 22 which is vertically grooved at its rear side making spaced apart flanges 23 between which the tongue 7 may be received. The upper ends of the flanges terminate substantially flushv with the upper end of the tongue 7, The post is also equipped with two The cornice includes a flat member 10 g oppositely extending lips 24 which overlap the front edges of the shelves 21 (see Fig. 6) covering said edges and completely disguising the joints so as to present a finished appearance and one which in effect makes the structure look as though solid built.

At the upper end of the post or pilaster 22 a vertical member 25 is secured, as shown in Fig. 3, at the upper end of which is connected a block 26. A vertical rib 27 is attached to the rear'side of the member 25 and block 26, as best shown in Figs. 2 and 5. When the pilaster is applied with the flanges 23passing one to each side of the tongue 7 the vertical rib 27 passes into the space between the adjacent ends of the two members 10 of the cornices in horizontal alignment and the block 26 ills the space between the adjacent ends of the mouldings 12 on said cornices,

as shown in Fig. 5 while the lower end of the member fills the space between adjacent ends ofthe mouldings 11 and is preferably finished so as to correspond with said mouldings.

The construction at the lower ends of the frames and the means for attaching the base board 29 between the lower ends of said frames is substantially identical with that described ii'or use at the upper ends of the posts 1. That is, the base boards 29 are equippedv with similar blocks 13, the post 1 recessed and equipped with the side plates 8. The binding together by means of the bolt 19 is used and in other respects the construction is a substantial duplicate.

In the assembly of store furniture of this construct-ion underneath a balcony the vertical frames, consisting of the posts 1 and 2 and the rails 3 and 4 between them, are properly spaced apartand connected at their low-r and secured together by means of the bolts l 19 after which the front finishing posts or pilasters are added and secured in place by screws 28 which passthrough either one or both of the flanges 23 into the tongues 7 and with the pilaster so applied and detachably held in place the members 25 at their upper ends overlap the cornice rails 10 and also retain the cornices in position.

A construction of this kind can be assembled against a wall indicated at 31 in dotted u outlines, and underneath the balcony irrespective of any downward projecting or overhanging moulding such as is indicated ios ilo

ius

' izo at 32 in Figs. 1 and 2. This is because the application of the parts is by a direct horizontal rearward movement. There is no necessity to raise any part, such as the top 2O or the upper cornice or the finishing post or pilaster, above the position which it will occupy in the iinished structure; and the en tire vertical space between the under side of the balcony and the floor may be utilized as is evident from reference to Fig, 2. At the saine time the construction is practical to manufacture and assemble, economical in manufacturing cost and may be used either for the support of shelves or for the assembly of merchandise holding units such as indicated at 33, in Fig. l. That is, should the structure be used for units the shelves are merely replaced by the units either in the beginning or after the shelving structure has once been installed in a store. The units lie between the vertical spaced frames and the front posts or pilasters 22 with the lateral lips 24 overlapping the adjacent ends of the units to completely cover and disguise the joints between the ends of the units and the posts, giving the appearance and edectof a solid built structure.

The invention is defined in the appended claims and is to be considered comprehensive of all forms of structure coming within their scope.

I claim:

1. Store furniture comprising, a plurality of spaced apart vertical frames, upper cornices lying between and at the upper ends of adjacent frames, each of said frames being f recessed at its upper front corner for said cornices whereby the cornices may be applied to the frame by direct horizontal movement of the same inward to said frames, means binding the abutting ends of adjacent -cornices together and to said frames, and a pilaster detachably connected to and covering the vertical front edge of each of said frames and the abutting end portions of the cornices.

2. A construction of the class described comprising, a plurality of spaced apart vertical frames, each comprising front and rear spaced apart posts connected at their upper ends by horizontal rails, each of said posts at its upper end having a portion removed to provide a recess having vertical and horizontal sides located at a right angle to each other, and each of said front posts at its front edge being formed with a tongue extending substantially the full height of the post to said recess, lower base boards connecting and spacing apart said front posts at their lower ends, cornices disposed in alignment between the upper ends of said frames having abutting end portions received in said recesses of the front posts, means for binding the abutting ends of the cornices together, and pilasters, each formed at its rear face with a channel groove into which said tongue of the front post of each frame may enter, one of said coinices being applied to each of the front posts duced thickness, a plate secured to the upper end at each side of said front post, eachof said plates extending beyond the rear side of the recess cut in the post thereby forming a' groove between the front edges of said plates, lower base boards disposed between and connecting the front posts adjacent their lower ends, upper cornices located one between each two adjacent spaced apart frames, each of said cornices comprising a flat member, a block attached to the rear side and at each end of said flat member, said block having a vertical groove in its rear face and said block extending a short distance beyond the end of the member to which it is attached whereby when the cornices are applied the blocks on the adjacent ends of two aligned cornices engage at their vertical ends against each other and the projecting ends of said plates are received in the grooves of said blocks, means passing through the adjacent blocks for detachably binding the same together, and a vertical pilaster having a channel groove cut vertically in its rear side detachably attached to each of the front posts of each of said frames, the tongue being received in the groove of the pilaster and at its upper end having a part which overlaps the adjacent ends of said cornices.

4L. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 3, each of said members of the pilasters being equipped at its front side with a horizont-al moulding, the upper side of which extends a short distance above the upper edge of said member, and a top disposed horizontally between the upper ends of two adjacent frames back of said moulding, its upper surface lying flush with the upper surface of the moulding.

5. Knoclrdown store furniture comprising, a plurality of spaced apart vertical frames having a predetermined height, a lower base board lying between and nices to said frames without raising them above the plane they will occupy in assemconnecting said frames at the front end at the lower portions ybled position, and a front pilaster applied to the front vertical edge of each frame and detachably connected thereto.

6. A construction containing the elements in combination defined in claim 5, said pilaster at its front being provided with laterally extending lips adapted to overlap and cover the joint between the same, and merchandise holding elements carried by and between said frames.

7. Store furniture comprising, a plurality of spaced apart vertical frames, upper cornices lying between and at the upper ends of adjacent frames, means for receiving said cornices on said frames by direct horizontal movement, a pilaster' at the vertical front edge of each of said frames, means for receiving said pilaster on said frame by direct horizontal movement and means for detaohably connecting the pilaster to the frame.

In testimony whereof I aix my signature.

MARTIN J. STRAAYER. 

